Air pump



R. H. KELLY.

AIR PUMP.

APPLlCATlQN FILED NOV. 21. um,

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

. ing the pistons as valves to permit the use i Patented Nov, 23, 1922..

warren srarss earner t mes;

ROY H, KELLY, OF'FULTON', NEW YORK,ASSIGNOFJ OF ONE I-IALF .TO FBAN'K S. BOXVMAN, 0F. FULTON, :NEW YO RK.

AIR PUMP.

Application filed November 21, 1919. Serial No. 339,631.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROY H. KELLY, of Fulton in the county of Oswego, in the State or New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Air Pumps, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a'full, clear, and exact description. This invention relates to a combined air compressor and controller in that it' comprehends broadly a plurality of air pumps of the reciprocatory piston type arranged about a common axis and driven by asingle central shaft through the medium of an eccentric and suitable pitman for supplying compressed air to pneumatic tires or any other storage reservoirand also for utilizand distribution of compressed air from the reservoir in the operation of other devices, as for example, instarting internal combustion motors. i

In other words, I have sought to provide a relatively small, but simple, and highly eflicient air compressor adapted to be used as an accessory in automobile equipment, in which an internal combustion engine is used as motor power for inflating pneumatic tires and also for starting the engine.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the pump will be brought out in the following description In the drawings Fig. -1 is an end view, partly broken away and partly in section of an air compressor embodying the various features of my invention. j

, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same compressor, taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1-, showing a portion of the storage tank and means for conducting the com-' pressed air to and from the piston chambers and reservoir. 7

Fig. -3 's a detail sectional view through the outer end of one of the cylinders and adjacent portion of one of the distributing chambers, taken in the plane of line 3-3, Fig. -l-.

Figs. 4 and +5 are detail sectional views taken respectively on lines 4-4 and 5-5, Fig. 1-. i,

As illustrated, this pumpcomprises a onepiece castmetalframe, -1- having a series ofifin thisinstance,four fintegral cylinders, -2-, Tar-ranged circumferentially about. a common axis radi althereto and in uniformly spaced relation, each cylinder being provided'with' a radial bore or piston chamber, 3- for receiving a piston, 4.

The piston chambers 'arepreferably of the, same size and have their outer ends closed by end walls, 5- and their inner ends communicating with a central chamber,"6, one side'of which is closed by an integralpart' of'the frame, l while the other side is provided with a central circular opening, normally closed, by i a removable cap plate, 8,' the latter being held in place by screws, 9-.

The cap plate,. 8 and opposite wall of the case 11' of chamber 6-- are provided with central openings 10-, constituting journal bearings for receiving and supporting coaxial shaft sect1ons,11 and -11. which meet within the chamber,

The shaft section, -1l. is provided on its inner end with an integral e ccentric'bear- 'ing, 12 and an annular flange, 13-- at the outer end of said eccentric bearing, the latter beingrevolvable in a plane coincident with .thatof the axis of the several pistons, which in turn are radial to the axis of the shaft.

A one-piece. metal ring or strap, 1&+ is journaled upon theeccentric bearing, 12

and is held against axial movement by the fiange,-l8 of the shaftsection, 11 and by an additional-flange, l3' on the other shaft section -11'-, said flange,

13- being removably secured to the adjacent end of'the eccentric bearing, 12, by screws, "1 5- or equivalent fastening means 'which,'when removed, permits the removal and replacement of the ring or strap, -1'4l- The opening,-?', normally covered by the plate -'8- is of sufiicient size to permit the shaft sections, ].1-- and -1l'-. with the eccentricbearings, 12- and flanges, 13 and -13 to be easily passed there- 'through when assembling the parts. 7

The ring or strap, 1l+, is connected to.

the pistons +4 by separate pitmen or connecting rods, 16 'and -16-, one of which, as 16 is formed integral with the ring or strap, and is pivotally jconnectedfat +17% to its corresponding 7 Cji stance, two,--annular distributing chambers, l9 and 20, concentric with the shaft sections, l1- and l1- and separated by an intermediate partition, 2l-, the outer open sides of said distributing chamber being normally closed by a cap ring, :22 secured to the adjacent face of the I frame l by screws, 23- so as to form air-tight oints therewith.

Each cylinder is provided near its outer end with an air intake port, -24 and an air exit port, 25 having check valves,

-25 and -27 res ectivel each intake aort 2-l leadmp' from the outer end or its piston chamber to the exterior of the cap ring, 22 while each exit port of the same cylinder leads from the outer end of the corresponding piston chamber into the distributing chamber, -19. The check valves, 26- and -27 are yieldingly held to their seats by relatively light springs, -28-, the intake valves serving to allow the atmospheric air to flow into the piston chambers during the suction strokes of the corresponding pistons and to automatically close during the compression stroke of said pistons, while the check. valves, -27- are closed during the suction stroke and open during the compression stroke of their respective pistons.

By arranging the valves in the manner described, the atmospheric air taken in by the suction stroke of each piston will be compressed in the distributing chamber, -l9 by the compression stroke; and while this may constitute a compression chamber or reservoir, I preferably provide said distributingchamber with an outlet conduit 29 extending through the cap ring, 22- and connected by a pipe, 30- to a relatively larger reservoir or tank, -3l--, in which a considerable quantity of compressed air may be stored ready for use for any purpose to which it may be put, as for example inflating tires or in starting an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. Or the reservoir -3l may be provided with a flexible hose, as 83 for tire inflating purposes directly from the pump, particulardly when the latter is installed as an accessory in automobile equipment.

The pipe connecton between the chamber, -19 and reservoir, 31 is provided with acheck valve, -3 l to allow the air to pass from said chamber to the reservoir and to prevent its back flow.

In order that the compressed air from the chamber, -19 or from the tank, 31 may be utilized for other purp0ses,as for example in starting an internal combustion engine,the annular chamber, 20, is connected by pipe 35 to the pipe connection, 30 between the valve, and tank, -=8i as shown in Fig. 2,-said pipe, -35- being provided with a valve,

36 which may be closed when pumping air into the tank or may be open to admit the compressed air from the pump or the tank to the annular chamber, 20.

Each piston chamber, ----3 communicates with the chamber, -20- through a passage, 3T, Fig. 2, while each piston is provided with an annular channel, 8S movable into and out of registration with the corresponding passage, 87 and is positioned in such a manner as to register with said passage when the piston is at the extreme limit of its outward stroke,said piston serving to close said passage in all of its other positions of adjustment. Each cylinder is provided with an additional passage, 39- in the same transverse plane as and preferably diametrically opposite the co1' responding passage, 3T so that when the channel, 38 of the piston is registered with one passage 37 of the corresponding cylinder it will also register with the opposite passage, 39 thereby establishing communication between both the said passages through the channel.

' Leading from each passage, -39- is a pipe, i0 for conducting air to any other device adap ed to be operated by compressed air when the channel, -38-. of the corresponding piston is registered with the adjacent passage 37-.

If the compressed air conducted through the pipes lO- is to be used for starting a four-cylinder four-cycle engine, the shaft sections, --l1 and ,11'- may be driven by the engine at half the speed of the crank shaft of said engine or at the same speed as the timer shaft, or the shaft sections may be connected directly to the timer shaft of said engine, in which case the eccentric, -"12 would be adjusted to cause the pistons, et, to move in substantial synchronism with the pistons of the engine, except at half the speed, so that when the corresponding piston of the engine reached the limit of its compression stroke the corresponding pump piston will also be at the limit of its outer stroke,--thereby positioning the channel, 38 of said piston to allow the compressed air to flow from the chamber, -20- through the corresponding pipe, 4-O to the compression chamber of the engine for driving said engine piston inwardly from a position of rest, thereby starting the engine and causing the transmission of motion to the pump piston connected thereto through the medium of the shaft sections, 11 and --11-. This may be accomplished by simply opening the normally closed valve,

--36 and one or the other of additional valves, 36 in the pipes, -40.

When the device is used for starting internal combustion engines, the valves,36-- and 36 may be brought into close proximity to the seat of the operator or upon a suitable valve board, which would be provided with any well known means for determining the positions of the engine pistons, to enable the operator to open the valve corresponding to the engine piston when at the limit of its compression stroke so as to as sure the starting of the engine by the first blast of air.

It is evident, however, that the compressed air passed through the pipe, tO- may be used for other purposes either while the pump is in operation or at rest,so longas one or the other of the channels, 38-- is registered with its passage, 87 and, therefore, I do not wish to limit myself to any particular use to which compressed air controlled by the pump pistons may be put.

In order that the eccentric strap, 14.- may be made integral, or in one piece, and readily assembled upon the eccentric, -12-- the inner end of shaft section, -11 is also provided with an annular flange, 13- fastened to the adjacent face of the eccentric by screws, l1-, said shaft section, -1l' being also provided with a socket,-l2- extending outwardly from its inner face coaxial therewith for receiving a reduced extension, 43 of the shaft section, 11- whereby the two shaft sections are held in axial relation against relative radial movement.

The pump may be installed in a garage and driven by an electric motor or other available power for inflating tires and other purposes, or may be used as an automobile accessory and permanently installed therein and driven either by the engine or by an electric motor for similar purposes, in which case the tank, -31 may also be installed on the vehicle and connected in the manner described to supply compressed air for any use to which it may be put.

What I claim is:

1. In a combined air compressor and distributor, a plurality of piston chambers arranged about a common axis and each pro vided with an intake port and an outlet port and separate passages leading thereto and therefrom, valves controlling said ports, pistons movable in said chambers and each provided with a channel for connecting the corresponding passages when moved to a certain position, means for operating the pistons, a distributing chamber connecting the several outlet ports, and a separate distributing chamber connected to the first named distributing chamber and to the several passages leading to the piston chambers.

2. In a combined air compressor and distributor, a plurality of piston chambers arranged about a common axis and each provided with an intake port and an outlet port and separate passages leading thereto and therefrom, valves controlling said ports, a distributing chamber connecting the outlet ports, a separate distributing chamber connected to the first named distributing chamber and to one of said passages of each piston chamber, pistons movable in the piston chambers and each having a channel for connecting the corresponding passages when moved to a certain position, a rotary shaft coaxial with said axis and provided with an eccentric, a strap journaled on the eccentric, and pitman connections between the strap and pistons.

3. In a combined air compressor and distributor, a plurality of piston chambers arranged about a common axis and each provided with an intake port and an outlet port and separate passages leading thereto and therefrom, valves controlling said ports, pistons movable in said chambers and each provided with a channel for connecting the corresponding passages when moved to a certain position, means for operating the pistons, a distributing chamber concentric with said axis and connecting the several outlet ports, and a separate distributing chamber concentric with and connected to the first named distributing chamber andconnected to one of said passages of each piston chamber.

4;. .l'n a combined air compressor and dis- .tributor, a plurality of piston chambers arpitman connections between the strap and pistons, a distributing chamber concentric with said axis and connecting the several outlet ports, and a separate distributing chamber concentric with and connected to the first named distributing chamber and also connected to one of said passages of each piston chamber.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of October, 1919.

ROY H. KELLY. Witnesses:

H. E. CHASE, W. H. GrooDwAY. 

